Some familiar names, and voices, will be part of Debra Ehrhardt’s storytelling, which started out as child’s play back in Jamaica, has turned into some serious business for the island-born playwright and actress.
Her one-woman show, “Jamaica Farewell,” will premiere Off-Broadway at the SoHo Playhouse in Manhattan on March 2. And she’s sending out a special invitation to New Yorkers — especially the city’s Caribbean residents — to come out and enjoy the show, which can be seen at a discounted preview rate next weekend.
Making up stories and imitating family members and neighbors was how Ehrhardt entertained herself as a child in Jamaica. Even back then, she had an audience – she was able to charge neighborhood kids five cents to attend storytelling sessions held in a local mango tree.
She has since honed her storytelling and dramatic skills. Now she has written and performed several well-received stage works and is days away from her play’s New York City debut.
The work chronicles her personal migration to the U.S. from Jamaica and some unique experiences, such as enlisting the aid of an unsuspecting and smitten CIA agent.
Parts of the story are uniquely Ehrhardt, but her characters will have special significance for Caribbean audience members, who may see friends, relatives or even themselves in portrayals.
And there are universal themes.
“I want to say it can be done – hold on to your dreams,” she said, adding that the evolution of the play and the progress of her life have been “like a dream come true.”
Part of this invitation to theatergoers is an exceptional incentive – discounted tickets to the show’s previews on Friday, Saturday and next Sunday. Tickets to the previews are half-price – $20.
The SoHo Playhouse is at 15 Vandam Street, between Sixth Avenue and Varick Street. Show times for the previews are 8 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at 3 and 7 p.m.
After the previews, ticket prices will range from $25 to $40. For tickets and group sales, call 212-691-1555 and visit www.sohoplayhouse.com.
‘Junkanoo Blu’
In the dead of winter, the North Shore, L.I., branch of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority is creating a tropical-inspired spectacle this evening – “Junkanoo Blu,” a spectacular fund-raising event featuring steelband music, Caribbean carnival masqueraders and sizzling music from popular WBLS (107.5-FM) radio personality Dahved Levy.
The Rho Omega Zeta chapter’s benefit show – which will be held at the Katra Lounge, 217 Bowery in lower Manhattan – will aid the group’s scholarship and humanitarian initiatives. The organization, which has undertaken international aid projects in the past, will focus its 2008-2009 efforts on helping people in the Caribbean.
“This is the first event of this kind that our chapter is doing,” said event chairwoman Marjorie Mesidor. “We are hoping that all our efforts will produce a hefty scholarship that will truly help a deserving student.
“As for our humanitarian efforts, we have already partnered up with one not-for-profit doing great work in Haiti. We are looking to develop ongoing relationships with organizations from the other islands as well.”
Rhum Cl/ment, a producer of A.O.C. Martinique Rhum Agricole, is one of the event sponsors. Tickets are $40; VIP tickets are available for $60. For information, www.junkanooblu.com, send e-mail to marjorie@junkanooblu.com or call 516-776-9376.
Air Jamaica cuts back
SAD NEWS FOR St. Lucia – Air Jamaica announced last week it will suspend its current weekly service to the island starting April 1 as part of its difficult reorganization and cost-cutting efforts.
The flights, from New York and Jamaica, traveled to St. Lucia three times a week.
Recently begun nonstop services – such as American Airline’s thrice-weekly flights from JFK to St. Lucia that started last November – and proposed flights will help ease Air Jamaica’s withdrawal.
‘Essence’ of art
The Wilmer Jennings Gallery at Kenkeleba in Manhattan is hosting a monster art show, “Experience Returns to Essence,” an exhibition of paintings and drawings from members of the National Conference of Artists of New York, which is celebrating its 49th anniversary.
The show, which will run through March 22, features the works of O’Neal Abel, Larry Joseph, Salimah Ali, Abdullah Aziz, Wayne Lawrence, Anthony Barboza, Gloria Aziza Lawyer, Mark Blackshear, Gina Lewis, Betty Blayton, Carolyn Maitland, Kwame Brathwaite, Dinga McCannon, Sikolo Brathwaite, Karl McIntosh, Elombe Brath, Adrienne Mills, Nomsa Brath, Louis Mims, Sharon Burton, Camille Mosley-Pasley, Doris Colbert Kennedy, Musa, Sadikisha Saundra Collier, Otto Neals, Gerald Cyrus, Ademola Olugbefola, Robert Daniels, James Phillips, Darlene F (a.k.a Darlene F. Rollins), John Pinderhughes, Collette Fournier, Aaron Ibi Pori Pitts, Russell Frederick, Herb Robinson, Gaylord Hassan, Amber Robles-Gordon, Kristen Hayes, Radcliffe Roye, Linda Hiwot, Gina Samson, Hugeaux, James Sepyo, Veron Israel, Frank Stewart, Jerry Jack, Shawn Walker, MLJ Johnson and Emmett Wigglesworth.
Exhibition hours are Wednesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Wilmer Jennings Gallery at Kenkeleba. The works can be seen at two locations, 214 and 219 East 2nd Street (near Avenue B). Call 212-674-3939.
Participating groups include Weusi Black Artists Collective, BAD-C (Black Artists of D.C.), AfriCOBRA (the African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists), Kamoinge Inc. and AJASS (The African Jazz-Art Society and Studios).
This column is reprinted from the February 17 Sunday editions of The New York Daily News. If you have any items suitable for this column please e-mail them to jmccallister@nydailynews.com.
